Neighbor kid bought a 1991 Miata and when it's cold, he can't downshift into 2nd or 1st gear. He has to turn the car off and then slip it into 1st Gear. He took it to an Aamco and they couldn't duplicate the problem. I have no idea if they even checked the fluid levels on anything. Another private replace shop said he needed a new clutch. He's coming by my place tomorrow for me to look at. Has this happened to anyone before? I suspect Syncro's but I'm not a transmission guy. Could it be as simple as fluid levels? I didn't see any other similar threads. Thoughts are appreciated!
Bob

 

It could be the clutch, but before making the call, you should check the following:
Clutch slave actuator linkage at the transmission; lubricate with graphite or moly.
Clutch pedal linkage: lubricate with graphite spray and adjust clearance if required.
Check master and slave cylinder for worn seals: press pedal down fast and hard and see if full throw is obtained. Repeat slow and gentle and see if throw is reduced. If full throw is not obtained in slow operation, suspect master/ slave piston seal(s).
If seals are the problem, the slave usually goes first, but the master is not far behind, so be smart and deal with both.
Depending on how hard it was used, a clutch itself is good for 60K to 100K miles.

 

Many thanks - I'll give it a go this afternoon!
B.

 

Well, I finally got to the slave cylinder. Not too bad to replace. Got the system bled (man, it had a lot of gunk in it), so it feels good to have fresh fluid. It worked fine for just a little while then the problem came back to life. Essentially, I couldn't push the peddle far enough to the floor to even shift it in neutral. Of course, it would stall if you came to a stop. Now, if I had time to pump the peddle, it seem to be better for a little bit, so I guess the Master Cylinder should be replaced? I adjusted the peddle throw so it's set up good and I can't see if the system has any pressure boost while running. So, am I heading in the right direction with the Master Cylinder next?
Many thanks!
Bob

 

Hi All - Quick Update
I replaced the Clutch Master Cylinder (wow, that was EASY!), adjusted the clutch peddle itself (upside down in the car, thank goodness I'm not very big) and it works GREAT. OLDENG hit it on the head - just replace them both, bleed them well and you are back up and running. Even got my 16 yr old in the drivers seat and she did a great job learning a clutch.
Thanks for the help!